


Maybe in Love

by Izzielizzie



Category: One of Us Is Lying - Karen M. McManus
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 12:21:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25849462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Izzielizzie/pseuds/Izzielizzie
Summary: Luis Santos didn't think much of Maeve Rojas until he sat with her at lunch. After that, he can't stop thinking of her.Basically, it's the moments between Maeve and Luis in One of One of Us is Lying and One of Us is Next from Luis's POV.
Relationships: Maeve Rojas/Luis Santos
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I might add in some chapters that weren't from the book, so don't be alarmed if you don't recognize a chapter! Feel free to leave comments!

If someone had asked me what I thought of Maeve Rojas at the beginning of Senior year, I probably would have just stared at them. Maybe, if I thought about it, I might have asked if she was related to Bronwyn Rojas. But that would have been a stretch. If someone had asked me what I thought of Maeve in October or November, I probably would have said that it was pretty cool that she was helping her sister and her friends. Maybe I’d say I liked sitting with her at lunch.  
  
But now? In February? As I watch her steal fries off her sister’s tray, her amber eyes shining, I might have to admit that I have a _tiny_ crush on her. Or maybe, like, a really big one.  
  
“Hey Maeve, I have an idea for you,” Bronwyn says. If she cares about the fries she doesn’t say anything.  
  
“Yes?” asks Maeve. She’s sitting as far from Evan, Bronwyn’s boyfriend, as she humanly can at a table that only seats eight. That means she’s practically sharing a seat with Addy, who doesn’t seem to mind. The two of them have struck up a rather strange friendship in which they act more like sisters than Bronwyn and Maeve do.  
  
“So I was talking to Kate, and she said that the school paper is missing a sports writer this semester, and she asked if you wanted to take the spot. I said I’d ask you, but you should! It would be fun.”  
  
Maeve pushes Addy’s silvery purple hair (which has started to grow out quickly) away from her own face and raises an eyebrow at her sister. “Why does Kate want me?”  
  
Bronwyn shrugs. “She read that essay you wrote for your history teacher on Manifest Destiny.”  
  
“How-”  
  
“I don’t _know_ Maeve.”  
  
Maeve makes a face as she fiddles with the helix piercing on her left ear. “This just sounds like an elaborate ruse to make me do stuff.”  
  
Bronwyn just shakes her head at her sister.  
  
“You probably shouldn’t Morgan,” Evan adds. “I’ve heard that the newspaper editors are really tough. Writing for the paper is not for the faint of heart.” Evan leans back in his chair and turns to Bronwyn, effectively cutting the conversation between the sisters short.  
  
Addy raises her eyebrows and Cooper shifts in his chair uncomfortably. Maeve looks ready to throw something at Evan. Or worse. Everyone but Bronwyn seems to know that Maeve hates Evan and wants Bronwyn to get back with Nate. The sisters had argued about that a few weeks ago, and Bronwyn had finally apologized when Maeve stopped sitting with us at lunch to sit in the back stairwell with Nate. It also doesn’t help that Evan can’t, or won’t, remember Maeve’s name.  
  
The first bell rings just as Maeve opens her mouth. “You know what sis? Tell Kate I’ll do it.” She swings her bag onto her shoulder and stalks off. She’s heading in the same direction as me, and I follow after her.  
  
“Maeve,” I call. She stops and turns. Her lips curve up into a small smile, and _damn_ , I really like that smile.  
  
“What’s up?” she asks. She’s leaning against the wall, looking up at me through long eyelashes. My heart thuds uncomfortably.  
  
“Not much, just heading in the same direction. What class are you going to?”  
  
“Precalc,” she makes a face, “all the way across the school.”  
  
“I’ll walk with you, I’m going to stats.”  
  
“Okay, thanks Luis,” she says. I like the way she says my name: it rolls off her tongue in a way that tells me she learned Spanish enough to be comfortable with it, unlike all the high schoolers who learn the language for three or four years and sound like choppy robots.  
  
I kind of wish she’d say my name again.  
  
“Evan’s a jerk,” I say apropos of nothing. She snorts.  
  
“You can say that again.” She tugs on the hem of her Yale Soccer hoodie. We walk past a group of my old friends, and I can see Keely watching me. For some reason, when I’m walking with Maeve, who’s kind of short and scrawny and has dark hair that’s cut somewhere between a pixie cut and a bob, Keely’s long hair and perfect makeup and supermodel looks don’t hurt me anymore. Even though she dumped me less than a month ago. I don’t really feel anything.  
  
“Luis? Were you listening?” Maeve asks me.  
  
“What?” I ask.  
  
“I asked you if you thought I was too grumpy at lunch.” She’s fiddling with the strap of her bag and she looks almost _guilty_.  
  
“No, why?” I ask as I push open the doors that lead to the stairs with my shoulder. I hold them for her, and she walks through with a quiet “thanks”.  
  
She shrugs as we start walking up the stairs. “I hate arguing with my sister.”  
  
I laugh. “Maeve, you have one sister you argue with maybe once a month. I have _four brothers_. That argument was nothing compared to my brothers and I have.”  
  
Maeve turns to look at me. When she’s a handful of steps above me, she’s exactly my height, and we’re standing face to face. I’m close enough to see a handful of freckles on her face. They’re cute, and I wonder, fleetingly, how many there are. We’re standing so close that I can smell vanilla and something else. Some kind of flower maybe? I’m struck with the sudden urge to lean forward, wrap my arm around her waist, and kiss her. I wonder what she’d do if I did. Slap me probably.  
  
“ _Four_?” She asks. _Four_ what, I wonder before realizing that we were talking about my brothers.  
  
“Yep, I’m the second oldest.”  
  
Maeve shakes her head as she turns around. “I can’t fathom having more than one sibling.”  
  
“It’s hectic,” I tell her.  
  
“I can imagine.”  
  
We’ve made it to the math wing, and we walk to Maeve’s classroom. I look down at her and I suddenly want to do anything and everything to make her stay here with me, talking about our siblings. I want to stand here forever and count her freckles and ask her if getting her ears pierced hurts and figure out who she knows who plays soccer for Yale. I want her to look at me and smile and say my name in that way that makes it feel like she’s injecting magic into four letters. But she just says “bye, and thanks for walking with me” and walks into her classroom and I’m stuck standing here like a love struck puppy. Because maybe I’m kind of in love with this girl.  
  
I turn and walk across the hall to the statistics classroom and pull the door open as the late bell rings. The teacher turns to me and shakes his head. “Wrong class Mr. Santos.”  
  
That’s when I realize it’s Thursday. And I’m supposed to be in English class. Three flights and two wings away. Maybe, just maybe, I’m more in love than I thought.


	2. Chapter 2

“Guys, you’re still coming to my party tomorrow right?” Addy asks as we all sit down to lunch. It’s April now, and my thoughts have become as busy as my life: baseball, Maeve, working at Contigo, Maeve, college applications, Maeve, coaching my brothers’ Little League team, and Maeve are just a few of them. A party is low on my list of priorities, but this is Addy, so of course, my answer is instant.

“Of course Ads,” I say, smiling at the girl sitting next to me. 

“Oh good. The rest of you?”

Janae nods hesitantly. She doesn’t say much at lunch. I think she still feels guilty, because Evan and I are basically the only people she speaks to. And Addy of course. Because even though Bronwyn, Maeve, Cooper, and Nate seem hesitant around her, and almost accusing, Addy has never blamed Janae.

“I’ll be there Addy,” says Cooper, patting Addy’s shoulder. 

“Bring Kris,” Addy responds before she turns to Bronwyn. “Babe. You have to come. Bring Evan.”

Evan hasn’t appeared yet. Maeve would be pleased with that, except she doesn’t seem to be here either.

“Of course I’m coming,” Bronwyn assures her best friend. Addy seems borderline panicked about this party.

“Good, good. Ash says we can have the apartment to ourselves. I’ve never planned a party before so this is scary. Also, where’s Maeve?” Addy has started flapping her arms around like a mad woman.   
Bronwyn looks around as if she’s just noticed that Maeve isn’t in her usual seat. “I actually don’t know.” She looks nervous. “I hope she’s feeling okay.”

Addy’s face softens. She wraps an arm around Bronwyn’s shoulders. “Worst case scenario: Maeve’s murdering Evan and hiding the body. Best case: she’s just saying hello to Nate.”  
Bronwyn smiles a little. “Evan’s not here today, he has a debate club field trip thing. So we can rule out the first option.”

I notice someone coming towards our table. Mr. O’Farrell, my guidance counselor, is walking towards us with his usual bouncy gait. Maeve, looking sullen but incredibly beautiful in a long sleeved t-shirt and jeans that are more form fitting than her usual legging and pullovers. Her hands are stuffed in the pockets of her oversized cardigan that is slipping off her shoulders. 

“Bronwyn! Luis! How are both of you?”

“I’m good sir,” I say. I’m a little confused about why he’s here. He doesn’t oversee lunch today. 

“I’m also good,” says Bronwyn. I keep forgetting that Mr. O’Farrell is her guidance counselor too. I was surprised to see her there the other day when I was picking up a dismissal slip for a dentist appointment. I guess, by association, he’s Maeve’s counselor too. I just don’t know why she looks so upset. 

Maeve makes a series of violent faces behind O’Farrell’s back as he talks to her sister. It takes all my willpower to not start laughing. Addy presses her face into my shoulder and I can feel her silent laughter. I bite the inside of my cheeks to keep from laughing. O’Farrell looks a little confused by Addy, but he doesn’t say anything. He reaches back and claps a hand on Maeve’s shoulder. Maeve looks startled.

“I was just talking to your sister Bronwyn! I’m expecting great things from her, right Maeve?”

Maeve mumbles something no one can make out. Her right hand is buried in her hair, which is nearly at her shoulders, and straight, unlike Bronwyn’s long curls.

“I’m looking forward to seeing your application letter to Yale, Maeve. No doubt your ahem, _illness_ , will make a great topic point.” He stretches his hands above him like he’s imagining words on a billboard. Illness? I have no idea what he’s talking about, but judging by the look on everyone else’s face, they do, and they’re not pleased.

Maeve smiles, but narrows her eyes. “Yes, I’m sure,” she says dryly, taking her seat. 

O’Farrell pats Maeve’s head patronizingly, like she’s a puppy. “Well, I’ll leave you to enjoy your lunch.” With that, he walks away. Maeve watches him go. When he’s out of sight she buries her face in her arms with a muted “ _ugh_ ”.

Addy sits back up and rubs her hand up and down Maeve’s back.   
“Well, he’s great,” Cooper says.

“He means well,” says Bronwyn, looking at me to back her up. I just shrug. Bronwyn continues. “I mean, he does have a point Maevey, you should start thinking about college applications.”

Maeve, whose head is still in her arms, turns to look at her sister. She raises an eyebrow.

“Leave me alone Bronwyn,” she says.

Bronwyn grins, unaffected by her sister’s tone. Maeve wrinkles her nose at her sister and sits back up. “Oh, I meant to tell you: when O’Farrell cornered me after English and tried to convince me to be less like me and more like you I asked if your detention would be on your permanent record.”

Bronwyn perks up. “Is it?”

“No ma’am,” Maeve says as she reaches over to Bronwyn’s tray and grabs the clementine sitting on the corner. 

“Oh thank God.” Bronwyn looks relieved.

“Maeve!” Addy says suddenly. Maeve turns to her looking concerned. 

“Yes?”

“You’re coming tomorrow right?”

“Yes Addy,” Mave says, sounding exasperated, “you've asked this no less than twenty times today.” Maeve peels the orange without looking at it.

“Will you help me buy food?”

“I can’t, I’m covering the baseball game and then I’m helping out at my mom’s office.”

“That’s unfortunate. Bronwyn will you help me?”

“Sorry Ads, I’ve got a date with Evan,” Bronwyn says. She looks at her sister, as if daring her to say anything about Evan. Maeve just shrugs. “Are you taking the car?” Bronwyn asks her sister when it’s obvious Maeve is out of snark.

“Yes. Evan can drive you in his stupid BMW,” Maeve pops a segment of the orange in her mouth and hands another to her sister. 

“Mom has a BMW,” Bronwyn points out, looking thoughtful. “Although I guess it is smaller and less showy than Evan’s.”

Maeve catches my eye and rolls her eyes. I smile at her. She smiles back before turning to Addy, who is back to panicking. “Do I have to buy plates?”

Maeve shakes her head and pulls out a notebook and pen from her bag. Together, she, Bronwyn, and Addy create a list of things Addy needs for tomorrow, and I’m more than happy to sit here and listen to the girls laugh and tease each other. Their friendship is built on mutual love and respect for one another, and it’s so much better than the backstabbers I used to be friends with.

Five hours later, I find myself in the parking lot of the baseball diamond where we practice, watching Maeve walk to her car while Cooper gives me all the (sexist) reasons why I shouldn’t date Maeve. I’m saved from having to explain to Cooper again that I’m not actually going to hurt Maeve because only an idiot would do that, by Cooper’s grandmother and his boyfriend, Kris, who invite me to dinner.

After declining because I have to feed my brothers, I head to my car, and I’m surprised to find Maeve standing next to it.

“Hey, Maeve,” I say. She doesn’t respond, just waves and tilts her head a little to show that she’s on the phone.

“Okay, thanks,” she says, hanging up. She turns to me. “Hey. My car broke down. Serves me right for calling Evan’s car stupid I guess.” She waves her hand at the grey Volvo parked next to mine, which has steam pouring out of the hood.

“Wow, that’s fun,” I say. She nods. “Want some help with it or anything?”

“I shouldn’t need it, I don’t think. I called Triple A and they’ll tow the car. Now I just need to get myself to my mom’s office.” She leans back against her car and looks up at me. Now is probably a bad time to notice that there are strips of her hair that turn golden in the sun, but it looks beautiful, and kind of unsettling. Maeve Rojas isn’t the type of girl I’d find hot, but here I am. She raises an eyebrow at me and I realize that I’ve just been staring at her. I should really come up with some intelligent conversation.

“Don’t they drive you to wherever you need to be?” I ask.

“Yes, and usually I’d wait, but Bronwyn is on her way with Evan right now because I really need to be at my mom’s office. All of her secretaries are out, she's kind of overwhelmed.”

I pause for only a moment before I ask: “Want me to drive you?”

Maeve perks up, but then saggs against her car. “I don’t want to bother you.”

“Maeve. You won’t be bothering me. I have to leave the parking lot eventually right? Let me drive you.” Maeve looks hesitant until I add: “Or you could get a ride with your sister and Evan.” I know she’ll say yes the minute the look of disgust crosses her face.

Having Maeve in the car with me is both awkward and natural at the same time. I try to see my car through her eyes and I wish that I’d taken the time to clean out the old receipts and maybe take all the first grade books out and give them back to my youngest brother, who enjoys driving in my car with me. At least the cinnamon air freshener tree thing my mom bought me is hanging from the rearview mirror. Unless Maeve doesn’t like cinnamon. Which would be bad. I’m about to ask her if she likes cinnamon when she says “Luis, you’re driving in the wrong direction.”

I look at the road and see that she’s correct. The arrows on the pavement that direct the traffic entering and exiting the driveway are facing towards my car, not away. I look straight ahead (god, where was I looking before? At Maeve probably, I can’t remember) and see a car nearly touching mine. The driver is none other than Coach Ruffalo himself. I hold my hand up in an apologetic gesture and reverse, turn left, and exit in the right direction.

“Who was that guy? He looked like he recognized you.” Maeve asks when I’m finally on the street.

“Coach Ruffalo. The baseball coach. He probably thinks I’m stupid now.” Maeve doesn’t respond for a few moments, and I’m about to ask her if she’s okay when I hear muffled giggles. I glance over at her at a red light to see her hastily straightening her face. She looks at me guiltily, her eyes shining. “You’re laughing at me,” I say, my heart sinking. She probably thinks I’m stupid too.

“I am not.”

“You are.” 

“That would be rude,” Maeve insists as I turn back to the road.

She laughs a few more times, trying not to be obvious about it as we drive past the school. “You can laugh, you know.” As if waiting for permission, Maeve starts cracking up. “Yeah. yeah laugh it out Maevey. It wasn’t that funny.” I’m surprised I called her Maevey, but I’m more surprised that she didn’t comment on it.

Maeve takes a deep breath and I can see her shift her body towards me in my peripheral vision. “I know, but you looked so confused. I never thought I’d see Luis Santos confused.”

“I’m confused all the time,” I say dryly. Maeve snorts and I can feel my lips twitch up into a smile. “Like right now. Where am I supposed to be taking you?”

“Oh whoops. Rojas Dermatology. Across from the Clarendon Street Starbucks.”

That’s only a mile from the school, and I’m pretty sure I know how to get there. “Got it.” We lapse into silence for a moment until I say, “What a way to be remembered.”

“Hmm?” Maeve asks, politely confused.

“People stick their names on stuff all the time right? Like, would you want to be remembered for owning the dermatology place across from Starbucks?” It isn’t until the words are out do I realize that Maeve might find that offensive. If someone said something about Contigo, I’d be mad. I know how much my parents love that café. 

I slow at a red light and turn to look at her. She doesn’t look angry. She looks thoughtful. “Hmm. Yeah I get that. I’ve actually wondered about that. Like, do I want to be remembered for looking at people’s skin every day? No sir I do not.”

“Exactly. What do you want to be remembered for?”

“Nothing really. Fame isn’t for me. What about you?”

“Owning a restaurant. I’m going to college for a hospitality degree.”

“Wow.” 

“What?” 

“Nothing. It’s just, I never knew that. That’s really cool.”

“Thanks Maeve.”

“Any time Luis.”

“You should come to my parents’ café.” I say suddenly when we’re a street away from her mom’s office. 

Maeve glances over at me. I hope she says yes. I don’t know what I’d do if she says no. Even though I know that’s ridiculous, I kind of feel that if Maeve rejects my offer of going to Contigo, she’s really rejecting me. I guess I just compared myself to a café, but whatever. Nothing about this crush makes sense. She answers when I park in front of Rojas Dermatology, a large brick building with pleasant geraniums in the front.

“I’d love to, Luis.”

I hear a door shut, and I’m too absorbed in the magical way she says my name to realize she’s gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Addy greets me at her apartment door wearing a very un-Addy like dress and tiara. She’s holding a glass of something pink and fizzy.

“‘Sup Ads,” I say. 

“Why hello. Welcome to the party. Want some sparkling grapefruit juice?”

“Grapefruit?”

“I panicked at Target.”

“I see.” 

I lean down to give Addy a hug. “Maeve’s gonna be here soon,” she whispers in my ear.

“Oh?” I ask, standing up.

Addy smirks at me. “Please. I see the way you look at her. You like her. Which is good because she deserves a good boyfriend. And you deserve a good girlfriend. It was kinda mean of Keely to dump you. Even though you dumped Olivia for her.”

“Wow Ads, way to be tactful.”

Addy shrugs and adjusts her too-small tiara. “I tell it like it is babe. Oh look it’s Heather.”

I step out of the door, allowing a herd of track team members to enter the apartment. I head to the other side of the room and lean against the wall to avoid the girls, who either give me crap for dumping Olivia or try to flirt with me. Sometimes they do both. 

I scan the dining table, which is covered with food, but after spending all afternoon in the kitchen, I’m not feeling very hungry. Just tired. I stand and zone out for a while, mentally creating a checklist of things I need to do this weekend when I catch someone waving at me. It’s Addy. She’s standing on her toes behind Bronwyn and Nate (who I didn’t see enter), and she’s pointing aggressively at Maeve, who is stomping away from Evan, and right towards me. I raise my eyebrows at Addy, but call out Maeve’s name anyway. She turns and sees me. 

“Hey,” she says. She looks cute tonight, albeit a little different in black leggings and a black halter top that expose her freckled shoulders.

“Are you blending in with the night?” I ask as a way of greeting, and then instantly wish I didn’t. It’s a lame thing to say.

“What?” Maeve looks down at her outfit and laughs a little. “Oh no, Bronwyn stole my cardigan.” Maeve points back towards the door, but Bronwyn and Nate are gone, replaced by Cooper, Kris, and Keely. “Well, she did have it. I don’t know where she is.” She pauses, her eyes roaming my face. “Luis are you okay?”

“Yeah. Why?” I ask.

“You looked, nothing, nevermind.” Maeve shakes herself a little. I sure hope I wasn’t looking at her weirdly. 

I’m about to ask her what she means when Cooper, Kris, and Keely descend upon us, soon followed by TJ and some track girls. They’re all talking about Olivia’s party next week, and somewhere between talk of Liv's new pool table and rumors about her new boyfriend, Maeve disappears. I look around Addy’s apartment and I find her sitting on a kitchen stool, looking at something on her phone. 

“Hey man,” I say to Cooper, clapping a hand on his shoulder, “I’m gonna go.”

“What?” Cooper asks, turning away from Kris to look at me.

“I’m gonna go.” I say, a little louder. The music playing is incredibly loud and incessant.   
“What? No, stay.” TJ says. We’ve gotten closer lately, but he still seems to think I like parties. Really, they just give me a migraine. 

“I can’t, I gotta go check in on someone.” My eyes drift to Maeve, who’s now staring at the door with her chin propped on her hand. 

“Someone has a crush,” Emily, a track girl, sings obnoxiously. 

I can feel my cheeks warm, but I don’t say anything.

“He’s not denying it,” Heather adds, clamping a hand on my forearm. 

“Yeah, I’m gonna go,” I say, pulling my arm away gently. I leave the group before anyone can say anything else. I can feel their eyes on my back as I move towards Maeve, though. She doesn’t look at me until I’m standing like, half a foot away from her. “Where’d you go?”

“Not a fan of crowds,” she says. “And judging by the look on your face, you’re not either.”

I just shrug. “We can go somewhere.” I hold out my hand, and I can practically _hear_ my friends leaning forward to see what’ll happen next. She tilts her head at me and smiles quizzically. 

“Why?”

“Because, despite the fact that we both love Addy, we don’t actually want to be here.” I swear someone just lowered the music. Maeve notices too, because she answers in Spanish:

“ _Sure, but I’m not holding your hand_.”

I grin at her, and she stands. She grips her phone tightly and says “I should probably let Bronwyn know.”

“She’s in the hall!” Addy shouts from the other side of the apartment. Maeve narrows her eyes at her. I push her towards the door before she can say anything to Addy. Once outside we nearly walk straight into a couple making out like they haven’t seen each other in years. We’re about to slide past them when they break apart and the girl says “Maeve?” 

“Ugh Bronwyn, please don’t tell me you’re making out with Evan,” says Maeve. She’s facing away from Bronwyn, looking at me. She makes a face. 

“Um, no,” says the boy. It’s Nate. 

Maeve whips around to look at her sister. “Oh it’s you Nate. That’s good. Well, anyway, we’re leaving so bye.” Maeve grabs my wrist, sending sparks up my arm. She marches me down the hall, but Bronwyn calls her back. Maeve and I turn around to see Bronwyn pull off her maroon cardigan and throw it at Maeve. She catches it. 

“Have fun you two!”

Maeve pulls on the cardigan as we’re in the elevator. She smiles up at me, and I’m acutely aware that if I step to the right, our hands would be brushing. I wonder what she’d do if I held her hand. I mean, she was holding my wrist right? I should just brush my hand against hers. If she holds on, she holds on. I’m just about to extend my hand ever so slightly when she turns to me.  
“Where are we going anyway?” she asks. I guess hand holding is out of the question now, since she’s crossed her arms. 

Oh wow, that’s a good question. I had been too intent on getting Maeve to come with me that I didn’t even know where we’re going. “Wanna go to Contigo?” I ask finally. 

“Your parent’s café? Sure.” Maeve uncrosses her arms right as the elevator doors open and we step onto the first floor. I could take her hand, but I don’t. If it were any other person, maybe I would. But somehow, everything feels different with Maeve. She’s like a butterfly sitting on a rock: incredibly beautiful and ethereal, but any wrong moves will send her flying away, never to be seen again. I can’t mess this up. So for tonight, I’m just going to be her maybe sort of friend. 

“Did you drive?” I ask.

“No, my car is still in the shop. Evan drove us.”

I pause for a moment and Maeve doubles back. “What?”

“But Bronwyn was with Nate?”

Maeve wrinkles her eyebrows and then a look of understanding crosses her face. “They broke up earlier this afternoon. He insisted on driving us though. Mostly to salvage their relationship. I’m glad that you and I are leaving. I didn’t want to drive home with him again.”

Maeve turns and keeps walking towards my Honda, but I’m momentarily frozen. Did she only come with me because she didn’t like the other option? But no, she could have asked Addy or Cooper for a ride home if she didn’t want to go with Evan. Or she could call one of her parents. I can’t tell if she actually wants to spend time with me, but she’s standing at my car and I need to start walking and unlock that door. 

Maeve doesn’t say anything when we climb into the car and I start the engine. “I upset you,” she says finally when I’ve gone a few blocks.

“No you haven’t,” I say, even though she has.

“You think I’m only here because I didn’t want to get a ride with Evan.”  
I stop at a red light and turn to look at her. She’s turned towards me, straining against her seat belt. She looks sad.

“I mean, yeah,” I say. Those amber eyes are dangerous, I decide. One look into them and I’d be telling Maeve all my thoughts. 

“Luis, I _want_ to be here. I like being here with you. I was really happy you called me over earlier.”

I’m struck dumb for a moment by how genuine she sounds. I should tell her it’s okay. That I like being here with her too, but all I say is, “I like the way you say my name.”

Maeve smiles slowly before I can mentally kick myself for saying something so stupid.

“I like the way you say my name too… _Luis_.”

“Thanks Maeve.”

I lean forward, suddenly determined to kiss her, and I swear she leans too, but we both jump back when an impatient car honks behind us. We burst out laughing, and I raise my hand in apology while I start moving. Apparently we have been sitting at a green light and neither of us noticed. 

We’re still laughing when we reach Contigo, and we push through the doors. The café closes in an hour and a half, and it’s still lively and chaotic. “Do you like alfajores?”

Maeve tilts her head at me.

“They’re dulc-”

“I know what they are, Luis, I’m half Colombian you know. It’s just a random question.”

“My dad makes the best alfajores, like, ever. I’ll grab us some.” I lead her to my favorite table. It’s a corner table, pushed up against the tiled wall with the intricate patterns I love looking at. “Do you want some iced coffee?”

“Sure,” Maeve says. I pull out a chair for her and she smiles at me. That almost kiss is lingering in the back of my mind, but I don’t feel the need to kiss her when I’m in my parent’s café.

“Great, I’ll be right back.”

I weave my way through the tables and push into the kitchen, where my father and older brother are busy feeding the late night customers. 

“Luis, you have the night off Mijo,” Pa says when he sees me.

“I brought a friend. Could we have some alfajores and ice coffee? I can make it if you’re busy.”

“Never too busy for you.” I grin at my father. He sure knows how to make a person special.

“Who’s the girl?” Manny asks.

“How do you know it’s a girl?” I ask, punching him lightly in the shoulder as a greeting. He punches me back, harder. “Ow,” I grumble.

“It’s _always_ a girl.” Manny stands on his toes to look through the window into the dining room. I punch him in the shoulder for real while his eyes roam the room.

“Pa, tell Manny it’s not always a girl.” 

Pa doesn’t say anything. He just presses a plate of alfajores, freshly baked, into my hands.  
“Aha, found her!” Manny points to a girl with dirty blonde hair pulled into an intentionally messy bun. She’s wearing a tight fitting shirt and artfully ripped jeans. She reminds me a bit of Keely, and I can see why Manny picked her. 

“No,” I say. “Not her. Let it drop, bro.”

“Never. I’ll bring you guys your coffee. I need to meet Mystery Girl.”

“Don’t you have to help Pa?”

“Go ahead. Tell me who she is!” Pa calls from the other side of the kitchen.

“ _Pa_!”

He just winks at me, and Manny pushes me out the door and back into the dining room. I head back to the table, where Maeve is staring at the wall. She looks at me when I sit down across from her. “It’s so beautiful here,” she says.

“You think so?” I ask nonchalantly, secretly pleased.

“Let’s just say it’s a good thing we’re here near closing or I might never leave. We’re actually pretty close to my house.”

“Well, then come more often.” I hand her a cookie, which she takes. 

“Do you mean that?”

“Of course.”

Maeve and I eat our cookies in silence, Maeve looking at the café and me looking at her. Our peaceful silence is interrupted by Manny, who looks like he can’t believe his eyes. Which is stupid because Maeve is incredibly beautiful, and her personality surpasses her looks.

“Hey!” Manny says to Maeve brightly. 

“Hi,” Maeve says back. Manny places our coffee in front of us. 

“I’m Manny, Luis’s brother. Nice to meet you.”

I’m glaring at Manny, but he and Maeve don’t notice. “Maeve Rojas. It’s nice to meet you too.”  
“Rojas. Like, related to Bronwyn Rojas?”

A look of irritation crosses Maeve’s face, but it’s fleeting. “The one and only. She’s my older sister.”

“Really? You guys don’t look similar.”

I’m ready to murder my brother, which is a new feeling. I know what he's doing. Creating conversation, daring me to make him leave. 

“I look like my mom, Bronwyn looks like our dad,” says Maeve with a shrug, like she’s heard this before. 

“Nice. You’re a senior?”

“Sophomore actually.”

Manny raises his eyebrows at me. _She’s a bit young_ he seems to be thinking.

“Maeve’s actually a year younger than me. She was homeschooled for a while and her grades got messed up when she started at Bayview high.” I glare at my brother harder.

“That’s true,” says Maeve. I have no idea how she’s being so calm when I want to stand up and march my brother back to the kitchen and lock him in there. 

“Nice. Did the licence plate number I gave to your sister help?”

“Yes it did, thank you,” Maeve’s tugging on the sleeve of her cardigan, pulling it over hand. I’m starting to learn that means she’s nervous. 

I widen my eyes at Manny, trying to get him to leave, but he keeps standing and asking stupid questions. About five minutes later, I’m about to stand up and make him leave when Pa calls him into the kitchen. Pa winks at me, and I can’t help but smile back at him.

“Sorry about Manny, he can be… a lot,” I say to Maeve.

“Don’t be, he’s nice.”

“You’re just saying that. What time do you have to be home?” I ask, as a way to change the subject.

Maeve looks at her phone. “Soon, actually. I can call my parents if you need to stay here.”

“Let me drive you.”

“Sure, thank you.” We stand and put the dishes in the tray.

“You don’t have to pay,” I tell Maeve as she reaches into her pocket. She gives me a sideways look.

“Luis, I-”

“I _mean_ it Maeve.” 

And I really do. She relents as we reach the door.

“Okay, fine. But I’m gonna pay you back for driving me everywhere.”

“That’s what friends do Maeve,” I say as we settle into my car. 

“Okay, okay.” She gives me directions to her house, and then says hesitantly, “You looked really happy in the café. You don’t look that way anywhere else. Especially today at the party.”

“That’s why you asked if I was okay? Because I didn’t look happy?”

“Yeah, you looked tired. Turn right here.”

I turn right and then glance over at her. “I get stressed sometimes. Especially at parties. I guess people have gotten used to me being like that.”

“I like you better when you’re happy,” says Maeve. But she mostly says it to the window she’s staring out of. I can tell she wouldn’t be saying this if she was looking at me.

“Same goes for you Maevey.”

She smiles at her reflection. It’s the same slow smile she gave me right before I nearly kissed her.

“Thanks. It’s the grey one.”

We’ve turned onto Thorndike street, and I pull into her driveway. Her house is large, larger than most houses I’ve seen in Bayview, but it’s incredibly pretty and homely with the wraparound porch and potted plants. 

Maeve turns to me. “Thank you so much for the ride Luis. And for tonight.”

“Any time, Maeve,” I say truthfully. I’d love to do this a billion times, over and over again.

Maeve is about to climb out of the car when a motorcycle parks behind my car.

“Looks like Nate and Bronwyn are here. Come on out, let’s say hi.”

I do as I’m told and follow Maeve towards Nate’s motorcycle. “Hey guys!” Bronwyn says, pulling off her helmet and giving Maeve a hug. “How was your night?”

“It was good,” Maeve says brightly. She’s pulled away from her sister and is now hugging Nate. Bronwyn waves slightly at me. I nod my head at her.

“Girls!” I hear a new voice call from the porch. We turn to see a pretty woman with long red hair standing there. “Come say hi to your aunt before she has to leave!” She looks remarkably like Maeve.

“That’s out mom. We should go in. See you guys on Monday,” says Bronwyn. She gives Nate a hug before walking over to her house.

“Thanks again for the ride Luis,” Maeve says. Before I know what’s happening, she’s given me a quick hug, and she’s running off behind her sister. 

“Damn. The Rojas girls really are something else,” Nate says, shaking his head. “See you ‘round Santos.” He climbed back onto his bike.

“You too, Macauley.”

With nothing else to do, I climb back into my car and drive back home, wishing I had hugged Maeve back.


End file.
